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June 12, 2010

34th annual Norfolk Harborfest

By Roy A. Bahls
The Virginian-Pilot

This weekend Harborfest presents its 34th offering of crowd-pleasing sights, sounds and scents. There’s more to this festival than its signature tall ships, music headliners, funnel cakes and fireworks.

The festival kicks off at noon Friday with the impressive Parade of Sail, featuring not only tall ships, but also power cruisers, antique and classic wooden boats, military vessels, tugs and more. Fireworks paint the harbor Saturday night.

Tidewater Dock Dogs contests are new this year. The pooches will leap, splash and swim as they compete in Big Air, Speed Retrieve and Extreme Vertical contests. Other newcomers: Comedian Wacky Chad sometimes performs on a pogo stick. He also juggles , rides a unicycle and performs magic tricks . Another act, the Asphalt Orchestra, will parade through the crowds. This 12-piece street band from New York City mixes high energy horn and drum music with fun and funky choreography. Flippenout, a group of trampoline athletes, will offer a wild aerial show full of running, bouncing, flipping and twisting.

And as the hot weekend winds to a close Sunday, head for the Festival Water Park. Bring a bathing suit because slip and slides, water balloon tosses, sprinklers and super soakers await!

ON THE WATER

    * Parade of Sail enters the downtown harbor at noon Friday
    * Fireboat Demonstration 1:30 p.m.
    * Military Search & Rescue Demonstration 3 p.m. Friday, 6 p.m. Saturday
    * Tall Ship and Character vessel visits 3-6 p.m. Friday, noon to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
    * The Elizabeth River Learning Barge during festival hours
    * USS Wisconsin tours at Nauticus throughout the weekend
    * Tidewater Dock Dogs competitions 1 p.m. Friday-Sunday
    * Chesapeake Bay Workboat Parade 2:30 p.m. Saturday
    * Third annual Lazy Lizzy Anything That Floats but a Boat Race 3 p.m. Saturday
    * Tug Muster 5:30 p.m. Saturday
    * Chesapeake Bay Workboat Race 1:45 p.m. Sunday
    * Ultimate Build a Boat Race! 3:30 p.m. Sunday

MUSIC

FRIDAY

Budweiser Main Stage

Eric Hutchinson, pop rock, 6-7:30 p.m.

BoDeans, rock/roots, 8:30-10 p.m.

Hard Rockfish Stage

Narissa Bond, acoustic, 12:45-2 p.m.

Mercy Creek, folk acoustic, 2:30-4 p.m.

Tamarama, surf rock/pop, 5-6 p.m.

Orgone, funk, 7:30-8:30 p.m.

Deloreans, ’80s rock, 10-11 p.m.

SATURDAY

Budweiser Main Stage

4Troops, adult contemporary, 12:15-1 p.m., 1:30-2:15 p.m.

Robbin Thompson Band, Americana/folk rock, 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Mike Farris, blues/soul, 5:30-7 p.m.

The Family Stone, funk, 8-9:30 p.m.

Hard Rockfish Stage

Tropical Steel, steel drums, 12:45-1:45 p.m.

Trina Hamlin, acoustic, 2:15-3:30 p.m.

Paul Norfleet, acoustic, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Fuzz Band, blues, 6:45-8 p.m.

Lewis McGehee, acoustic rock, 10-11 p.m.

SUNDAY

Budweiser Main Stage

Disney’s Choo Choo Soul featuring Genevieve! children’s show, 12:15-1:05 p.m., 2:30-3:20 p.m.

4Troops, adult contemporary, 1:15-2:15 p.m.

Chris Cagle, country, 4:30-6 p.m.

Hard Rockfish Stage

Mike Proffitt Trio, acoustic rock, 12:30-2 p.m.

Del McCoury Band, bluegrass, 3:15-4:30 p.m.

AND MORE

    * Pyro Shows of Tennessee send up the fireworks at 9:30 p.m. Saturday
    * Festival Water Park - all weekend
    * All-American Cornhole Blast Tournament and Free Play Weekend, noon-5 p.m. Friday-Sunday